O’Gorman has ‘open mind’ on home care supports
RODERIC O’Gorman has said he will examine with a ‘very open mind’ potential financial supports for parents who provide care in the home.
The Children’s Minister made the remarks after a debate on proposed changes to Ireland’s Constitution.
Two referenda are to be held on March 8 of this year.
The first plebiscite is on whether the Constitution should be changed to extend the definition of family beyond only those based on marriage to include ‘durable’ relationships.
The second is on whether to delete a reference to the role and duties of women in the home and replace it with a new article on the provision of care.
Asked if he would consider financial support such as additional social welfare supports or a tax credit for the primary earner in the house, for those parents who chose not to work and bring up their families, Mr O’Gorman said: ‘Well, I would certainly examine with a very open mind any supports we can give to parents who are in the home. I would definitely look at that with an open mind. I think we need to do more there.’
Mr O’Gorman also rejected suggestions that married couples’ rights will be limited under proposed changes to the Constitution.
He denied that, by broadening the definition of families in the upcoming referenda, it would remove benefits for married families.
The Law Society of Ireland held a debate on the proposed changes to the Constitution yesterday.
Mr O’Gorman told the audience, who gathered at Dublin’s Merrion Hotel, that the Supreme Court has made clear in recent cases that the meaning of a family, as it currently stands, is one based on marriage.
The minister said: ‘What they (the court) did say is, if we want to change the definition of the family in our Constitution, that’s a job for the people. We have that opportunity in March.
‘I refuse to accept this notion that by broadening recognition, and broadening protections for those families who aren’t married, we are taking anything away from married couples and families. ‘I just don’t accept that.’ Catherine Day, former secretary general of the European Commission and chairwoman of the Citizens’ Assembly on
Gender Equality said: ‘The members of the assembly wanted to see the world that they live in today, 2024, not 1937, which was a very different time.
‘They want to see it reflected in the highest legal order of the land, which is the Constitution.’
Independent senator Rónán Mullen said he would like to see a debate around the benefits of marriage, describing it as a ‘social stabiliser’, and adding that the proposed wording for the amendments could change the rights of married families.
He also claimed that the proposed wording ‘undermines’ the role of ‘homemakers’ through its reference to the role of carers.